The present invention relates to mechanisms for typewriters that utilize ribbon cartridges in general and include those of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,777 entitled
TYPEWRITER RIBBON CARTRIDGE granted Feb. 22, 1972 and U.S patent application Ser. No. 150,946 filed June 9, 1971 with Carl Anderson et al. as inventors and entitled TYPEWRITER RIBBON CARTRIDGE, both of which are assigned to the assignee of the instant application. The term "cartridge" as used hereinafter is defined to include any form of ribbon holder or container irrespective of configuration and the manner of insertion into the typewriter.
More particularly, the present invention relates to typewriters and to the automatic actuation of single and repeat backspace functions upon insertion and removal of the ribbon cartridge.
A recommended typewriter function that may be accomplished by the actuating mechanism of this invention is to provide an automatic backspace operation, either singly or repeatedly, upon the insertion and removal of a cartridge. A typical backspace operation that may be automated by the actuating mechanism of this invention is fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,482,671 entitled BACK SPACE MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS granted on Dec. 9, 1969 with Richard Shattuck as inventor and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application.
The term "typewriter function" is defined to include any typewriter operation which provides for the alignment of a selected platen impact point relative to the typewriter print point.
When cooperating with a modified cartridge housing an error correction tape therein, several manipulative steps previously necessary for an error correction operation are directly eliminated.
Correcting typing errors have required a series of backspace operations in order to complete the error correcting operation. The end result of the necessary series of backspacing operations is that the typing speed is significantly reduced, thereby increasing the time and cost for the preparatioin of the typed material. For example, it may be several letter spaces beyond where an erroneous character is typed before a typist notices the error. It is necessary that the carriage be manually repositioned to the printing station of the error or alternatively, the backspace key be depressed to accomplish the same in order for the error to be corrected.
The present invention, as it relates to error correction, improves the efficiency with which an error correction operation may be completed by providing an automatic single and repeat backspace operation upon the insertion and removal of a ribbon cartridge. The invention is clearly not intended to apply only to the foregoing, but may readily be applied in conjunction with any related typewriter function.
Other advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description.